Mycomicshop's Comic Blog

Greetings from the Odinson,

This week the Odinson wishes to make a request of DC Comics to challenge the Dark Knight Detective and pit him against the ultimate adversary.  From Knightfall to The Black Glove to the Court of Owls to Death of the Family, Batman has faced some of the biggest physical and mental challenges a Caped Crusader can possibly go up against.  But the Odinson believes there is one more challenge even bigger than all the rest, and people call him The Terminator!

The Odinson is begging DC to present the world with the ultimate Batman vs. Deathstroke storyline.  I’m talking about Bruce Wayne and Slade Wilson, mano-a-mano.  I’m talking about the two most dangerous men alive in a duel to the death for the Heavyweight Title.  Deathstroke has single handedly defeated the Teen Titans (see The Judas Contract), single handedly fought the Justice League to a standstill (see Identity Crisis #3), and was handpicked by Superman himself to lead the attack on Warworld (see Panic in the Sky).  Batman has trained his body and mind to become the ultimate fighting machine and the most brilliant detective in the world (see Year One, Year Two, and Zero Year), he has consistently on countless occasions outwitted the most diabolical criminal minds in the world (i.e. Two-Face, Riddler, Ra’s Al Ghul and the Joker), and has extensive dossiers and tactics on how to defeat the most powerful metas in the DCU (see Tower of Babble). 

Each man has a victory over the other, but there have always been extenuating circumstances.  In City of Assassins, Slade beats Batman into unconsciousness but the Dark Knight was trying to talk sense into him.  And Batman takes Slade down in the final battle of Infinite Crisis, but that was with the help of Robin and Nightwing.  Physically, Slade is superior to Bruce.  Even though Batman has trained his body to the peak of human performance, Deathstroke, thanks to genetic experiments, will always be faster and stronger.  I do believe though Batman has a slight edge in combat skills, if only because Slade relies too heavily on his healing factor to survive encounters.  Ah, but there is the hitch.  Because Batman knows the Terminator can survive almost any wound, there will be no need for him to hold back for fear of breaking his most sacred rule – never take a human life.  

I see an epic showdown of this caliber playing out in a 10-part storyline or a 6-issue mini series.  Here’s how the Odinson sees it going down.

All the crime families of Gotham City, organized by the Penguin, come together to pull their resources and get rid of the biggest thorn in their side once and for all – the Batman.  They offer the biggest reward for proof of the Caped Crusader’s demise – one billion dollars.  The deadliest assassins alive converge on Gotham City and Batman spends the first part of the storyline running a gauntlet of some of the most dangerous hired-killers in the DCU including: Lady Shiva, Deadshot, Bane, Kobra, the Brotherhood of Evil, Mirror Master, and Onomatopoeia.   

As the tale unfolds and Batman is struggling to survive the attempts on his life, members of the Bat Family begin to disappear.  One by one Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, Batwoman, and Red Hood all are confronted and defeated by a mysterious adversary.  The last to fall is Dick Grayson who, just before losing consciousness, recognizes the villain and the issue ends on a cliffhanger as this new threat is revealed to be none other than Deathstroke the Terminator.  Slade knows that if he can remove Batman’s sidekicks and partners in crime-fighting off of the board that he has a physical advantage, and what better way to lure the Caped Crusader into a trap than to use his extended family as bait. 

This serves to set up the final arc of the tale and the ultimate showdown – Batman vs. Deathstroke!   

I’m actually scared for our hero because I’m not 100% sure that Batman can take Deathstroke in a one-on-one confrontation.  That, my friends, will be the beauty of this piece, as we witness the Dark Knight pull off the impossible and somehow manage to defeat the unbeatable foe.  Or, perhaps DC throws a curve ball our way and actually has the bad guy win this one.  But Slade doesn’t kill Batman and collect the reward, preferring to let the hero live with the knowledge of knowing that HE is the one man that not even the Batman can defeat. 

The ball is in your court DC.  Do you have the courage to give us the ultimate showdown and reveal once and for all – who is the most dangerous man in the DCU?

This is Odinson bidding thee farewell     

Greetings from the Odinson,

Including the comic books, novels, toys, cartoons, TV shows and movies, the Odinson has made no qualms about his love for all things ‘80s.  But the 1980s was not the only decade that mined gold when it came to these pop culture formats.  The ‘90s and Beyond have also turned out some pretty entertaining stuff.  One thing is for sure, in the modern era of entertainment we have been treated to some pretty cool and creative pieces of art. 

This week I want to focus on the cartoons and animated shows that have defined our youth.  What era features the best in cartoon entertainment, the decade of the 1980s or the 1990s and Beyond (2000-Present).  Now as a child of the ‘80s, it will be hard for the Odinson not to be biased, but I will do my best.  Shall we begin?

Visionaries (13 episodes 09/87-12/87) vs. Yu-Gi-Oh (224 episodes 04/00-09/04) – The Visionaries are mighty warriors with the uncanny ability to summon forth mighty hard-light holograms capable of amazing feats.  Yugi is a modern day teenager in possession of the Millennium Puzzle, a mystical device that allows him to share a consciousness with a 5,000 year old Egyptian spirit.  He travels the world and engages in supernatural duels where the players use magical decks of cards to summon forth powerful holographic monsters and traps to do battle.  The Knights of the Magical Light are super cool but their short run and underdeveloped plotlines can’t hold a candle to the plight of Yugi and his quest to save his family and friends. Winner: Yu-Gi-Oh

Robotech (85 episodes 03/85-06/85) vs. Samurai Jack (52 episodes 08/01-09/04) – Robotech is a combination of three different animes from Japan, edited together to create a unified universe and one of the most epic stories in animated history.  The tale is broken down into three chapters – Macross, Masters, and The New Generation.  Without a doubt, Macross is the best and it tells the story of the United Earth Government and the Robotech Defense Force and their apocalyptic war with the invading clone armies of the alien Zentradi.  Samurai Jack features a noble warrior who is exiled to a far future timeline ruled by his demonic foe.  His quest is to find a way back to the past so that he can defeat his enemy before he takes power.  Samurai Jack is a really satisfying watch, but nothing compares to Rick Hunter and Matt Sterling flying around in their sweet transforming Veritech Fighters, defending mankind, and still finding the time for the pretty girls.  Winner: Robotech

Transformers (98 episodes 09/84-11/87) vs. Dexter’s Laboratory (78 episodes 04/96-11/03) – It’s the battle of sci-fi!  The Transformers are more than meets the eye.  The centuries-old war that has been raging on the far side of the universe between the benevolent Autobots and the warmongering evil Decepticons has spilled over to planet Earth.  Now mankind is caught in the middle of these mighty factions.  Dexter is the world’s smartest boy.  With a mad genius on par with Lex Luthor and Doctor Doom, the only thing holding Dexter back from complete world domination is the whimsical, innocent meddling of his troublesome sister – Dee Dee.  From toys to movies to comics, the Transformers have forged a pop culture empire that cannot be denied, but Dexter’s Lab is just too entertaining for its own good.  Very few animated shows have got me to laughing hysterically as much as Dexter’s Lab has and laughter goes a long way in my book.  Winner: Dexter’s Laboratory

Voltron (124 episodes 09/84-11/85) vs. The Powerpuff Girls (78 episodes 11/98-03/05) – Voltron is a mighty robot, loved by good and feared by evil.  The Defender of the Universe is comprised of five mechanical lions, each piloted by a brave space explorer, that when united form a giant robot.  With Blazing Sword firmly in hand, there is no giant RoboBeast or adversary from Planet Doom that Voltron cannot overcome.  The Powerpuff Girls were created using sugar, spice, and little bit of Chemical X.  Voltron is the undisputed king of giant robots, but Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup have all the power of a displaced Kryptonian and are more adorable than a garden full of Cabbage Patch Kids.  Winner: The Powerpuff Girls

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (24 episodes 09/81-09/83) vs. Spider-Man (65 episodes 11/94-01/98) – Amazing Friends features Spidey along with Ice Man and Firestar as they take on the greatest threats in the Marvel Universe.  This show was an absolute Must See event for a young Odinson.  It also features super cool guest-appearances by Marvel All-Stars like Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Namor and the X-Men.  The 90s animated Spider-Man series took super hero cartoons to the next level with its continuity.  There are season arcs and character development not seen before in a cartoon of this kind.  And the animation is super cool.  I absolutely love what they were going for and trying to accomplish with the ‘90s Spider-Man cartoon, but nothing can ever take the place of the magic I felt when I watched the ‘80s classic. Winner: Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends

GI Joe (95 episodes 09/83-11/86) vs. Batman: The Animated Series (85 episodes 09/92-09/95) – Yo Joe!  GI Joe is the world’s most elite Special Forces unit and charged with defending freedom against Cobra, a ruthless terrorist organization bent on ruling the world.  However, they broke the mold the day that Batman: The Animated Series made its debut.  There can be no debate that this animated gem spearheaded by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini is the King of Animated Entertainment.  The stories, the direction, the character development, the animation - BtAS is, hands down, the greatest cartoon ever made.  Winner: Batman: The Animated Series

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (130 episodes 09/83-12/88) vs. Gargoyles (78 episodes 10/94-02/97) – The battle of fantasy!  I can remember racing home from the bus stop after school, sprinting as fast as my little legs would carry me, because I could not miss a second of the adventures of He-Man and his quest to stop the evil Skeletor from obtaining the secret to Castle Grayskull.  Gargoyles is yet another beautiful example of the evolution of the medium as character development, story continuity and fantastic animation leapt forward in the decade of the ‘90s.  Gargoyles is amazing and well worth the watch, but the Herculean exploits of the Most Powerful Man in the Universe were simply awe-inspiring to a young Odinson.  Winner: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

Super Friends (109 episodes 09/73-09/86) vs. Justice League (52 episodes 11/01-05/04) – The battle of old vs. the new!  Brought together from the cosmic legends of the DC Universe, the Super Friends assembled the world’s greatest heroes – Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman – to defend mankind and preserve justice.  In The Challenge of the Super Friends, the world’s greatest heroes assemble once more to defend justice against the Legion of Doom, a small army of their greatest and most dangerous foes.  Then finally, in The Legendary Super Powers Show, the Super Friends are joined by Cyborg and Firestorm in their never-ending battle against the dark forces of Darkseid!  The Justice League animated series took all of the elements from Super Friends, threw them in a pot with all the ground-breaking elements of Batman: The Animated Series, mixed them up and created one of the most inspiring animated series in the history of the medium.  Winner: Justice League

ThunderCats (130 episodes 01/85-01/89) vs. X-Men (76 episodes 10/92-09/97) – The battle of mutant heroes!  ThunderCats features one of the coolest sci-fi tales ever conceived as a small band of survivors flee their doomed planet and somehow make their way to a lush paradise world.  However, though this new world is full of vibrant life and unparalleled beauty, it is also home to unspeakable evil and danger.  The ThunderCats, a race of feline super warriors, must defend the denizens of Third Earth and themselves from the dark power of berserker pirates, intergalactic assassins, deadly mutants, and most dangerous of all – Mumm-Ra the Ever-Living!  Though it can’t be denied that seeing the Children of the Atom animated was a treat, the series is however plagued by clunky animation and weak character interpretations.  No character suffers from this format more than the great Wolverine.  I realize they can’t have him slicing and dicing his way through every episode of what is essentially a children’s program, but seriously, did he ever win a fight in that show?  Winner: ThunderCats

DuckTales (100 episodes 09/87-11/90) vs. Pokemon (750+ episodes 04/97-Present) – The battle of action/adventure!  Inspired by the amazing exploits of Indiana Jones, DuckTales features Scrooge McDuck, the world’s richest fowl, and his nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie, as they journey the globe alongside their bodyguard and pilot Launchpad McQuack and their friends Gyro Gearloose and Doofus Drake in search of treasure and adventure.  Pokemon is the story of Ash as he travels the globe in search of more Pocket Monsters to train.  Though there is no denying the pop culture phenomenon that is Pokemon, a game that inspired an animated series that still runs to this day along with numerous movies, DuckTales is, hands down, a Top 5 cartoon of all time and a must view gem from the ‘80s.  Winner: DuckTales

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (193 episodes 12/87-11/96) vs. Dragon Ball Z (291 episodes 09/99-04/03 [US Re-dubbed Run]) - The battle of kung fu!  The Heroes in a Half-Shell burst onto the scene in the mid-eighties and took the pop culture world by storm.  The animated series featured a more wide open take on the concept and added a bit more mirth to the adventures of Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michaelangelo as they battled the evil forces of Shredder and Krang, a creature from Dimension X.  But when it comes to continuity and character development, nothing holds a candle to the high-flying, planet-shaking kung fu battles in DBZ.  The show's premiere hero Goku going Super Saiyan alone is worth the price of admission.  And very few animated shows feature villains on the level of Vegeta, Frieza and Cell, three of the most powerful, diabolical and sinister evildoers ever to be seen in the animated medium.  Winner: Dragon Ball Z

Wow!  I am utterly shocked but the 1990s and Beyond takes the Belt!  It’s probably due in no small part to the maturity of the material.  Character exploration and development and story continuity play huge roles in shows like DBZ and Batman, and that goes a long way.  However, because of the excellent quantity and quality that came out in the 1980s, it is still my favorite era.  Just think of all the gems that didn’t make this list  - BraveStarr, Bionic Six, The Real Ghostbusters, The Inhumanoids, Dungeons & Dragons, Dragon’s Lair, Thundarr the Barbarian, The Spiral Zone, MASK, Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors – just to name a few.  But never let it be said that the Odinson isn’t big enough to admit when he has been defeated fair and square.

Narrowing the list down to just a handful of names was a Herculean effort to be sure, but I believe I pretty much came up with the cartoons that helped define these two distinct eras.  Whichever era of cartoon entertainment is your favorite, I think we can all agree that we’ve been pretty fortunate to see some pretty awesome cartoons and animated shows in our lifetimes. 

This is Odinson bidding thee farewell     

Greetings from the Odinson,

There have been many, many combat games over the years – Tekken, Marvel vs. Capcom, Killer Instinct, and Injustice: Gods Among Us, just to name a few.  But there is no doubt which two games sit perched high atop the hill as King of the Fighting Games and that’s Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter II.  Back in the day (circa 20-25 years ago), stand up arcades were all the rage.  They were locales located usually in the local mall, boardwalk, or Putt-Putt Golf course where kids and teens could gather to play a multitude of exciting new games.  Somebody could spend hours feeding quarters into these eye-popping, senses-shattering contraptions of modern entertainment.  

What I remember most about Street Fighter II (released in 1991) is that though its graphics are archaic by today’s standards, at the time, the cool anime-inspired graphics really made it a standout.  With Street Fighter II, they broke the mold.  It set the standard for all other games of this type to follow.  In fact, other than a tweaking of graphics and the addition of new characters, Street Fighter is essentially the same game now as it was over twenty years ago.  And it holds up. 

What I remember most about Mortal Kombat (released in 1992) is the ominous disembodied voice that would call out to you as you walked by the console.  “TEST YOUR MIGHT” - it would say.  Well, who could resist that challenge?  Originally the game featured animation placed over real actors.  This gave the game a realistic feel, even if the combatants could do very unrealistic things.  But one thing that separates MK from all the rest is that over that last twenty years the game has evolved.  With game play and character development, each new release has improved on what came before and the game just gets better and better.   

That is another aspect of these two games that has always captured my imagination – the storylines.  Even though at their core, Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat are “Fighting Games,” they both have really cool storylines as their backdrops.  In Street Fighter there is a terrorist organization called Shadoloo bent on world domination.  For varying reasons, all the world’s greatest fighters join the Grand Fight tournament.  Some are in it for the glory while others infiltrate the contest to bring down the Shadoloo Empire.  In Mortal Kombat, there is an ancient tournament held once a generation when the world’s greatest fighters meet in combat to decide the fate of mankind.  If the Earthrealm warriors should fall, the plane of mortals will be invaded by the hordes of the Outworld, a mystical realm of wizards, demons, monsters, and dark gods.

The characters from both series have been fleshed out over the years and the back stories are just as rich with continuity as any fictional universe in pop culture.  But one question still remains – Who is the King of the Fighting Game?  Mortal Kombat vs. Street Fighter II has all the pop culture polarizing grandeur as The Beatles vs. the Rolling Stones, Coke vs. Pepsi, McDonalds vs. Burger King, or Marvel vs. DC.  In the end, there can be only one true champion.  And since the Powers That Be will never allow this fanboy’s dream of an epic crossover to come true, the Odinson shall decide once and for all in a no-holds-barred contest which game universe would win.   

Part 3: Mortal Kombat vs. Street Fighter II

Johnny Cage vs. Ken Masters – Johnny Cage is the biggest Hollywood action star in the world.  He’s brash, cocky, handsome, and deadly.  Ken Masters trained under the legendary martial arts master Gouken.  He’s cocky, talented, and, next to Ryu, he is arguably the second greatest practitioner of karate in the world.  He simply lacks the dedication and focus of his friend.  Cage and Masters are rivals outside of the ring as well as inside as they try to out do each other with the ladies, cocky quips, and combat skills.  Though Cage brings some pretty sweet splits and rush-kick moves to the fight, in the end, Ken’s Ha-do-ken fireballs and Sho-ryu-ken Dragon Punch will prove victorious. K.O. - Winner: Ken.

Sub-Zero vs. Dhalsim – Sub-Zero is a Chinese ninja warrior whose heart is so cold that he can freeze his opponents in place and shatter them into a million pieces.  Dhalsim is a master of yoga and can contort and stretch his body into impossible attack positions.  Though Dhalsim can breathe fire and thus counter Sub-Zero’s cold attack, Sub-Zero is not only one of the deadliest assassins alive, but he is the leader of an ancient ninja clan that through the centuries has forgotten more about killing than other assassins know.  FINISH HIM -Winner: Sub-Zero.

Sonya Blade vs. Chun-Li – Sonya Blade is a Special Forces operative hell bent on taking down Kano, the man that murdered her partner.  She’s tough as nails and trained for combat by the best.  Chun-Li is reportedly the “strongest woman in the world.”  She seeks revenge against M. Bison, the man that murdered her father.  Her legs are so powerful that she can leap around the battlefield with near superhuman ability and attack with a flurry of kicks that come at her opponents so fast that it ignites the air with flame.  Both women seek revenge and are super determined, but only one of them can win.  K.O. - Winner: Chun-Li.

Jax vs. Guile – Jax is a hulking Special Forces operative, trained in dealing with the supernatural and armed (literally) with bionic implants that increase his strength to super human levels.  His robotic fists can shake the ground and pummel his adversaries into unconsciousness with a furious windmill attack.  Guile is a Special Forces operative whose job it is to bring down the international criminal organization known as Shadoloo.  His Flash Kick is devastating and nearly impossible to defend against.  K.O. -Winner: Guile.

Goro vs. Zangief – Goro is half human/half dragon and four arms of terror.  Eight-feet tall, Goro uses his superior strength and size to overpower his opponents and has been known to beat them to a bloody pulp before dismembering them with his bare hands.  Zangief is a monstrous professional wrestler that trains to fight by grappling with grizzly bears.  His back-breaking suplexes and thunderous piledrivers can pummel his opponents and leave them broken and out cold.  However, Goro is a nine-time Mortal Kombat Champion.  That means for generations he has faced and defeated the best fighters in the all the Realms and proven victorious.  FINISH HIM - Winner: Goro.

Shang Tsung vs. E. Honda – Shang Tsung is a thousand-year-old demon sorcerer who collects souls of fallen warriors and adds their power to his own.  To face Shang Tsung in combat is to face a thousand adversaries.  E. Honda is a mighty sumo whose flying head butt and Hyaku-retsu-hari-te Hundred Hand Slap attacks, more times than not, prove to be too much for most opponents.  But Shang Tsung is no ordinary opponent.  He is quite cunning and, more importantly, deadly.  FINISH HIM - Winner: Shang Tsung.

Baraka vs. Blanka – Baraka is a fierce Tarkatan warrior from the wastelands of Outworld.  He can tear opponents to pieces with his clawed hands and razor-sharp Shark-like teeth.  But his most devastating attacks come from his berserker rage and two footlong razor-sharp talons that protrude from his forearms.  Blanka is a man-beast from the dark depths of the Brazilian rain forests.  As if his brutal feral attacks weren’t enough, Blanka also possesses a devastating electrical charge that renders all those unlucky enough to get caught by it defenseless and open to attack.  K.O. - Winner: Blanka.

Scorpion vs. Balrog – Scorpion is a lost soul bent on revenge.  The ninja Sub-Zero murdered Scorpion’s family and now he has returned from the depths of the Netherealm empowered with supernatural might and fueled by unquenchable rage.  Balrog is a former professional boxer and now a professional bone-breaker and henchman whose devastating uppercuts can pound his opponents into oblivion.  Balrog may have at one time been the most feared pugilist in the ring, but Scorpion’s harpoon attack, fire summoning abilities, and bone-shattering combo attacks are just to terrible to overcome.  (GET OVER HERE!) FINISH HIM - Winner: Scorpion.

Reptile vs. Vega – Reptile is a one of the scariest combatants in all the Realms for he is superhumanly fast and deadly.  His elongated tongue can strike from a distance and behead warriors, and he can spew acid with devastating effects.  Vega is a deadly cage fighter from Spain who fights with a clawed weapon and possesses near super human agility and speed.  He wears a mask to protect his handsome face.  This match is pretty even.  Reptile may loose a few limbs in the battle, but it’s nothing his reptilian regenerative powers won’t grow back.  Too bad Vega can’t grow back his head after Reptile lashes out with his vicious tongue and takes it from him.  FINISH HIM - Winner: Reptile.

Kano vs. Sagat – Kano is a cunning cutthroat with a bionic eye and is a master knife fighter.  Sagat is a master of Muay Thai and a former Grand Fight Champion.  He is a cunning adversary that relishes in the defeat of powerful opponents.  Though in the battle of the bad guys Kano usually wins, Sagat’s bone-crunching knee and elbow strikes will prove to be just too much.  K.O. - Winner: Sagat.

Raiden vs. M. Bison – Raiden is the god of thunder and protector of the Realm of Earth.  His strength and speed are far beyond that of mortal men.  He can fly, teleport, and call down the thunder.  M. Bison is the leader of Shadoloo.  He is a would-be-world conqueror empowered with Psycho Power, a kinetic energy field that increases his already considerable physical abilities to superhuman levels.  M. Bison is not an adversary for even a demi-god to take lightly.  But when the battle is done, it is Raiden’s eyes that will be sparking with the glint of victory.  FINISH HIM - Winner: Raiden.

Liu Kang vs. Ryu – This is it!  The contest of champions!  This is the battle that will settle the debate once and for all.  Who will prove to be the mightiest warrior in the world?  Liu Kang is from China.  He is the youngest but also the fastest warrior in the tournament.  He’s a Shaolin monk that has trained his entire life to compete in the Mortal Kombat tournament and defend Earth against the invading hordes of Outworld.  Ryu is from Japan, a Shotokan karate master.  He is a lone warrior that walks the earth in search of new challenges and seeks the world’s strongest fighters to test his fighting prowess against.  His one goal in life is to be the world’s strongest warrior. 

So what will prove victorious, the fluid grace of kung fu or the straightforward power of karate?  Ryu’s Ha-do-ken fireballs, tornado kicks, and Sho-ryu-ken Dragon Punch attacks can lay even the mightiest adversary low.  Meanwhile, Liu’s own fireballs, gravity-defying bicycle kicks and flying kick attacks have proven capable of defeating demon sorcerers and dark gods.  This battle is almost too close to call, but the Odinson is determined not to cop out.  I will decide on a winner. 

I literally could have gone either way with this one, but in the end, Liu Kang IS the Chosen One.  And if Buffy Summers and Neo have taught me anything over the years it’s that the Chosen One always comes out victorious in the end.  FINISH HIM - Winner: Liu Kang.

BONUS ROUND:

Shao Khan vs. Akuma – Somewhere on a cloud-rimmed mountain top, high above the tournament below, the two most notorious villains of these games meet to decide who will pick up the pieces of what’s left and rule the world with an iron fist.  Shao Khan is a dark demi-god whose might and combat prowess is only matched by his cunning and expertise in backstabbing tactics.  Akuma is a demon warrior whose attacks are so fierce, so apocalyptically powerful that he has been known to kill an opponent with a single blow.  The earth shakes when these two malevolent titans clash.  But when the dust settles, only one villain will be left standing. K.O. - Winner: Akuma.

Since both game series easily have a hundred characters between them, I tried to narrow the competition down to only the essential core cast.  The main heroes and villains that make these games tick.  Both Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat are legendary games, legendary stories, and legendary pieces of pop culture history.  It is a shame we may never see this epic crossover happen.   

This is Odinson bidding thee farewell     

Greetings from the Odinson,

Last week the Odinson began a three-part column about one day seeing the ultimate combat games.  First up was Mortal Kombat vs. Marvel.  The Heroes of Earthrealm and the denizens of Outworld proved victorious, barely.  This week we see what happens when the World’s Greatest Super Heroes go toe-to-toe with the street-fighting brawlers of Capcom. 

Let’s find out who wins.

Part 2: DC vs. Capcom

Superman vs. Akuma – Kal-el is the last son of Krypton.  Rocketed to Earth as an infant, the rays of Earth’s yellow sun have transformed him into the ultimate super hero – super strength, speed, endurance, flight, heat vision, intelligence, and near invulnerability.  The list of his heroic feats is endless and his courage is unparalleled.  Akuma is a master of martial arts whose fighting abilities are so super human that he can kill an opponent with one blow.  In the past, Akuma has defeated M. Bison (Capcom’s own “super-man”), but the Man of Steel is the greatest super hero in history.  Winner: Superman.

Batman vs. Ryu – Bruce Wayne is the world’s greatest detective and a master of a dozen different martial arts.  Armed with an array of crime-fighting gadgets and tools, the Dark Knight wages an endless battle against the criminal underworld.  Ryu is a master of karate who walks the earth in search of new challenges and seeking new ways to test his might.  Able to beat his opponents into submission with a flurry of fireballs, tornado-kicks, and mighty uppercuts, there are very few adversaries that can match Ryu’s strength of combat.  However, the Caped Crusader is the ultimate man.  His fighting prowess rivals the greatest fighters in the world and on top of that he has one of the greatest tactical minds on the planet.  Together with the arsenal of gadgets in his uncanny utility belt, these skills and assets prove too much for the King of the Street Fighters. Winner:  Batman. 

Wonder Woman vs. Chun-Li – Diana is the daughter of the legendary Queen of the Amazons and empowered with the strength of the Olympian Gods.  Armed with her lasso of truth and indestructible bracelets, the Amazing Amazon is one of the greatest heroes of the Modern Age.  Chun-Li is an Interpol agent seeking revenge on the master criminal M. Bison, the man that murdered her father.  She is a master of kempo, possesses near superhuman levels of agility, and her furious kicking attacks, which can ignite the air with flame, can pummel any opponent into unconsciousness.  Chun-Li maybe one of the greatest female combatants in the world, but Wonder Woman was trained by the God of War himself to be the ultimate combatant – period.  Winner: Wonder Woman.

Flash vs. Zangief – Barry Allen is the Fastest Man Alive.  Able to tap a mysterious energy known as the Speed Force, he can accelerate up to near the speed of light.  Zangief is a hulking professional wrestler from Russia.  His grappling and tornado attacks can force even the mightiest fighters in the world into submission.  Though the Crimson Comet will land a thousand blows before the Russian Bear can land even one, Zangief is tough enough to take it, and all it will take is that one earth-shaking power slam and the Scarlet Speedster is down for the count.  Winner: Zangief. 

Green Lantern vs. Mega Man – Hal Jordan is a test pilot who has been recruited into the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps.  He is armed with the cosmic power ring, a universal weapon that grants its wearer abilities that are only limited by his imagination and willpower.  Mega Man is a super android designed to overcome any enemy he faces and absorb their power, thus increasing his abilities for every new challenge that lies ahead.  The Emerald Knight may possess the ultimate weapon but Mega Man IS the ultimate weapon.  Winner: Mega Man. 

Aquaman vs. Ken Masters – Arthur Curry is the Lord of the Seven Seas.  Able to breathe underwater and communicate with the creatures of the sea, Aquaman also possesses great strength and a dense skin that can resist gunfire.  Ken Masters is a free-willing, cocky karate expert who trained under the legendary master Gouken, the same instructor that trained Ryu.  Like Ryu, Ken can barrage his opponents with fireballs and tornado kicks, but his most devastating attack is his fiery uppercut.  Though both these warriors live in the shadows of their more recognized peers, neither of them should be taken lightly.  However, unless the battle is taking place at the bottom of a swimming pool, I just don’t see Aquaman defeating the blonde brawler.  Winner: Ken Masters. 

Martian Manhunter vs. Dhalsim – The last survivor of a dead world, J’onn J’onzz is easily one of the most powerful forces for good in the DCU.  He’s nearly as strong as Superman, plus he possesses one of the most powerful telepathic minds in the galaxy.  He can fly, has super speed, can become intangible, can shape-shift, and has Martian Vision, a powerful ranged attack that shoots from his eyes.  He only has one weakness – fire.  Dhalsim is a master of yoga and has the ability to stretch and contort his body into inhuman configurations, making him one of the most bizarre warriors in the world.  But most importantly, Dhalsim can breathe fire.  And what have we learned about Martians and fire?  Winner: Dhalsim.

Lex Luthor vs. Albert Wesker – Lex Luthor is the greatest criminal mind of our era and the arch enemy of the world’s greatest super hero.  His genius is unparalleled and his ambitions are nothing short of world conquest.  Wesker is a master manipulator who through the use of a form of the T-Virus has gained super human strength and speed and has orchestrated the end of the world so that he may become the master of humanity.  In a dual between these two diabolical masterminds only the ultimate villain will come out on top.  Winner: Lex Luthor. 

Catwoman vs. Morrigan Aensland – Selina Kyle is a master thief with the agility of an Olympic athlete and the skill to clip a fly’s wings with her bullwhip.  Morrigan is a sultry vampire whose bat-like wings can slice and impale opponents with deadly accuracy.  Though Catwoman could give Morrigan a run for her money in a “Who’s Sexiest Contest,” she just can’t compete with the supernatural power of the Queen of the Darkstalkers.  Winner: Morrigan Aensland.  

Deathstroke vs. Captain Commando – Slade Wilson is a world class mercenary whose physical attributes have been increased to super human levels.  He is a master of combat, armed and unarmed, and a cold-blooded killer whose tactical mind allows him to take on any challenge.  Captain Commando is a super soldier armed with amazing gauntlets and boots that grant him many different super human abilities.  Though Captain C may be able to pummel futuristic thugs, gangsters, and ninjas into submission, the Terminator’s speed, strength, keen mind, and healing factor will prove to be just too much.  Winner: Deathstroke.

Captain Marvel vs. M. Bison – When young Billy Batson utters the word SHAZAM, a magical bolt of lighting strikes and transforms him into the earthly avatar of Olympian might.  M. Bison is the leader of a terrorist criminal organization bent on world domination.  He possesses Psycho-Power which augments his abilities to super human levels.  M. Bison is a cunning adversary and easily one of the strongest fighters in the world, but Captain Marvel is second only to the Man of Steel and with his ever expanding knowledge of the Power of SHAZAM, his Olympian might would prove victorious.  Winner: Captain Marvel.  

Harley Quinn vs. Jill Valentine – Harley Quinn was a psychologist driven mad when she tried to psychoanalyze the Joker.  She developed an infatuation for Batman’s greatest foe and now seeks to plunge the world into utter chaos at his side.  Jill Valentine is a member of S.T.A.R.S., the Raccoon City Police Department’s elite Special Forces unit.  She is an explosives expert, handy with a lock pick, and an accomplished monster killer.  Harley Quinn may be able to baffle most opponents with her off-the-wall puns and killer acrobatics, but in the world of ultimate survival, Jill Valentine is the ultimate survivor.  She always finds a way to win.  Winner:  Jill Valentine.

Deadshot vs. Arthur – Floyd Lawton is one of the deadliest assassins alive.  He is arguably the best shot in the world with any type of firearm and is capable of turning almost anything handy into a deadly weapon. When the princess is taken captive by the Lord of the Underworld, Arthur is the brave knight that answers the call.  Though most of Deadshot’s battles end in about 2 seconds, Arthur has faced down hordes of ghosts, goblins, and all the fiends from hell.  His mystical armor allows him to take enough shots from his enemy long enough to use either his piercing lance or rapid-fire knife throwing skills to win the day, even if he is left in nothing but his briefs.  Winner: Arthur.  

Nightwing vs. Strider Hiryu – Dick Grayson, after the murder of his parents, was raised by Bruce Wayne.  For years he fought alongside the Caped Crusader as Robin the Boy Wonder, but now he is his own man and fights for justice as the masked vigilante known as Nightwing.  Strider is a ninja of the future who uses his amazing Cypher-Blade and robot sentries to combat evil.  Now this battle is almost too close to call.  Strider is a super cool fighter but Nightwing was trained by the Batman and that, together with his near super human acrobatic skills, edges him past the super ninja.  Winner: Nightwing.

The Joker vs. Mike Haggar – (It’s pretty scary that the outcome of the tournament rests in the hands of a lunatic like the Joker.)  The Joker is the most fiendish, diabolical, clever, and unpredictable madman to ever walk the earth.  He is a genius level chemist and is armed with an arsenal of weaponized prank-influenced gadgets that could mean death to those he springs them on.  Haggar is the two-fisted Mayor of Metro City.  His mission is to clean up the streets and rid its citizens of crime, even if he has to personally pummel every single crook in town to do it.  Though the hulking Haggar has faced all the criminals Metro City has to off and won, he has never faced anything remotely like the Clown Prince of Crime.  Winner: The Joker. 

Final Score: DC Universe: 8 - Capcom Universe: 7

WINNER: DC Universe

Thanks to licensing agreements and copyrights, there is no way any of these match-ups will ever happen, but it doesn’t hurt to dream.  Be here next week when the Odinson showcases the ultimate wish for the ultimate combat game featuring the ultimate fighting characters in the gaming universe – Mortal Kombat vs. Street Fighter! 

This is Odinson bidding thee farewell      

Greetings from the Odinson,

Thanks to the miracle of modern gaming, we have witnessed the ultimate crossovers of several universes.  Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe and Marvel vs. Capcom have treated fanboys everywhere to the ultimate “what if?” scenarios when it comes to the age old question – Who would win between…?  Captain America vs. Ryu, Deathstroke vs. Scorpion, Captain Marvel vs. Raiden, Hulk vs. Zangief – these are the match-ups of a lifetime, heavyweight bouts that keep us on the edge of our seats. 

But we’ve seen these match-ups now.  The Odinson wants more!  Would the Powers that Be have the guts to give us the ultimate “fight game?”  It would take a lot of cooperation and ego-checking but is there anyway possible that the Powers that Be could somehow work it out and provide us with – Marvel vs. DC, Marvel vs. Mortal Kombat, DC vs. Capcom, or, the ultimate Golden Ticket – Mortal Kombat vs. Street Fighter?! 

We’ve seen MK vs. DC and we’ve seen Marvel vs. Capcom, but what if they flip-flopped?  What would happen if the Greatest Super Heroes of the DC Universe were to take on the cornucopia of colorful characters from the Capcom Universe, and what if the greatest fighters in the Marvel Universe were challenged to Mortal Kombat by the Champions of Earthrealm and the denizens of Outworld? 

Let’s find out.

Part 1: Mortal Kombat vs. Marvel

Raiden vs. Thor – Thunder god vs. thunder god!  It’s a clash of titans that in the end can never truly have a winner.  Evenly matched in pure raw power and combat skills it wouldn’t be long before our resident deities take themselves out of the equation, realizing that this is a contest of mortals that must be decided by mortals and mortals alone.  Winner: Tie.

Goro vs. Luke Cage – Goro is a half-human/half-dragon eight-foot tall mutant with four arms of terror that possess the power to bludgeon his opponents into bloody submission.  Power Man possesses diamond-hard fists that can crush cinder blocks into powder and unbreakable skin that makes him nearly impossible to hurt.  Luke Cage is as tough an opponent as they come, but Goro is a nine time Mortal Kombat Champion.  He’s fought against the best fighters each generation has had to offer for over a thousand years.  He’s strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Cage and cunning enough to overcome his adversary.  Winner:  Goro.

Johnny Cage vs. Daredevil – Cage is a cocky Hollywood martial arts movie star with the moves to back up the hype.  Matt Murdock is a blind super ninja whose other four senses have been augmented to superhuman levels allowing him to observe the world in a manner nobody else can possibly imagine.  Johnny Cage may look cool in his signature sunglasses, but when his signature splits-blow-below-the-belt move fails against Daredevil’s radar senses, it’s not long before Cage goes down for the count.  Winner: Daredevil.

Kano vs. Punisher – Kano is a professional criminal and murderer with a bionic eye and a master knife fighter.  Frank Castle is a former Special Forces commando that has declared war on the criminal element.  Kano quickly learns that it was a bad idea to bring a knife to a gunfight.  FATALITY!  Winner:  Punisher.

Baraka vs. Wolverine – Baraka is a Tarkatan warlord from the wastelands of Outworld.  He is a vicious fighter able to rend his opponents limb-from-limb with his clawed hands, razor sharp teeth, and two-foot bone talons that extend from his Popeye-like forearms.  Logan has unbreakable bones, Adamantium claws that can cut through steel like a hot knife through butter, and a healing factor that allows him to recover from virtually any wound.  These two berserkers would rip into each other with a ferocity that would terrify any onlookers.  Each of them would give as good as they got and both would be brought to death’s door, but only one of them would be able to survive to Round 2.  Winner:  Wolverine.

Mileena vs. Elektra – Mileena is the vicious sai-wielding twin sister of Princess Kitanna.  Her cruel laughter echoes throughout the battlefield as she relentlessly bombards her opponent with sai blasts, rolling attacks, and rains down on them seemingly as if from nowhere.  Elektra is a master ninja and arguably the deadliest woman alive.  She is a master of weapons, especially her signature weapon, the sai.  Mileena is definitely a worthy adversary and though she will not escape unscathed, Elektra wins because having already died once before and returned from the grave, death holds no fear over her.  And an opponent that does not fear dying is the most dangerous adversary of all.  Winner: Elektra.

Reptile vs. Deadpool – Reptile, a lizard-like ninja with superhuman reflexes and speed and wicked whip-like tongue, is able to spew venomous acid from his mouth that can melt flesh and bone.  Wade Wilson is the Merc with a Mouth, an insane assassin who is a master of weapons and deadly combatant, but most importantly, he’s utterly insane.  Reptile’s speed and agility allow him to stay one step ahead of his opponent’s attacks.  But Reptile would find his foe perplexing as he continues to get back up after sustaining injuries that would have killed a normal adversary many times over.  Growing tired of the game, Reptile would lash out with his vicious tongue, lop off Deadpool’s head and swallow it where it would be dissolved by the acids in his belly.  Even Deadpool can’t come back from that attack, right?  Winner: Reptile.

Scorpion vs. Ghost Rider – Scorpion is a spectral assassin from the NetherRealm brought back from the fires of Hades to seek revenge on Sub-Zero, the man that murdered his family.  Johnny Blaze is possessed by the demon Zarathos and now walks the earth seeking to avenge the spilled blood of the innocent.  It’s Spirit of Vengeance vs. Spirit of Vengeance in a fiery no-holds-barred heavyweight fight for the ages.  Ghost Rider’s Hellfire is meant to sear the soul, but when Scorpion has no soul left to burn, the spectral ninja’s burning hate proves too much for his fiery-skulled opponent.  Winner:  Scorpion.

Shang Tsung vs. Moon Knight – Shang Tsung is an ageless sorcerer with the power to shape-change and absorb the souls of fallen warriors.  Marc Spector is the earthly avatar of the Egyptian moon deity Konshu.  He is armed with an array of crime-fighting skills and weapons and an unwavering determination to win the fight no matter what.  However, to face Shang Tsung is to face a thousand foes.  The Fists of Konshu are deadly indeed, but the power of Shang Tsung is undeniable.  Shang Tsung absorbs Marc Spector’s soul and adds it to the rest.  The only problem is Marc Spector’s is a fractured psyche.  Moon Knight’s spilt personalities and splintered sanity would drive the demon sorcerer insane.  Winner:  Shang Tsung (sort of).

Sonya Blade vs. Black Widow – Sonya Blade is a Special Forces officer determined to hunt down the man that murdered her partner – Kano - even if that means tracking him to some mystical realm of demons, mutants and monsters to do it.  Natasha Romanova is a master spy and world class assassin whose fighting and tactical skills allow her to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.  Black Widow is one of the most dangerous adversaries around, but Sonya Blade is the most determined woman alive and nothing is going to keep her from bringing Kano to justice – nothing.    Winner: Sonya Blade.

Jax Briggs vs. Captain America – Jax is a Special Forces officer that has had his arms replaced by robotic implants giving him the strength he needs to take on virtually any supernatural adversary.  Steve Rogers is a super soldier with peak human strength, speed, and reflexes and a tactical mind that is off the charts.  Jax is a powerful foe, but Cap is the world’s ultimate fighting machine and armed with his indestructible shield, there are few foes that he can’t overcome.  Winner:  Captain America.

Kitana vs. White Tiger – Kitanna is a thousand-year-old princess that has mastered the blade-fan and aids the heroes of Earthrealm against the evil emperor Shao Khan.  Angela Del Toro is a second generation hero who possesses a mystical amulet that grants her superhuman martial arts skills.  The White Tiger is a neophyte hero while Kitanna has centuries of fighting experience on her side.  Winner: Kitanna.

Kung Lao vs. Iron Fist – Kung Lao is the descendant of a great warrior and a master of kung-fu.  His mantis style combined with his flashing razor-edged hat make him extremely dangerous.  Danny Rand was raised to become the ultimate Living Weapon in a mystical city that sits at the nexus between realms.  He is the Immortal Iron Fist and one of the greatest fighters to ever walk the earth.  Pretty evenly matched, these two adversaries could fight for hours without one side or the other ever gaining a true advantage.  However, one shot from the power of the Iron Fist and Kung Lao is down for the count.  Winner:  Iron Fist.

Sub-Zero vs. Blade – Sub-Zero is a Chinese ninja warrior with the elemental power of cold.  He is able to freeze opponents and create weapons of solid ice.  He is a most dangerous adversary.  Blade is half-human/half-vampire.  He is the Daywalker.  He possesses all the power of the undead without any of their weaknesses and he is armed to the teeth with an array of weapons designed solely for killing.  Sub-Zero does not escape this battle unscathed, but his powers over cold prove to be the deciding factor in the end.  Winner:  Sub-Zero.

Liu Kang vs. Shang Chi – Liu Kang is the youngest but also the fastest warrior in the tournament.  He is a Shaolin monk that was trained from birth to compete in the Mortal Kombat Tournament and defend Earthrealm from the invading forces of Outworld.  Shang Chi is the undisputed Master of Kung-Fu.  His martial arts prowess and borderline superhuman speed and ability make him arguably the greatest unarmed combatant alive.  This is the battle to end all battles!  These two masters are so evenly matched that the Odinson cannot call a winner.  They could fight for days and never be able to determine who the one true master is.  Ha, the competition would be long over and these two would still be going at it.  Winner:  Tie.

Final Score: Mortal Kombat Universe: 7 - Marvel Universe: 6 - Tie: 2

WINNER: Mortal Kombat

Thanks to licensing agreements and copyrights, there is no way any of these match-ups will ever happen, but it doesn’t hurt to dream.  Be here next week when the Odinson pits the heroes and villains of the DC Universe against the Street Fighters and Manga/Anime Superstars of the Capcom Universe.

This is Odinson bidding thee farewell     

Greetings from the Odinson,

It’s that time of year when the weather starts to cool down, leaves begin to fall, and the denizens of the land begin to prepare for the time honored tradition of All Hallows' Eve.  This is a time of change.  But it is also a time when the ghosts and goblins and all those things that go bump in the night claw their way up from some dingy tomb and stalk the land once more.  In honor of Halloween, every week this month, the Odinson will be dedicating this space to the macabre and supernatural.  What better way to kick-start this endeavor than with a Supernatural Fight Night?!

Whether they be monsters, slayers or something in-between, this list will settle once and for all, who is the toughest supernatural critter roaming the earth.

Hellstorm vs. The Darkness – Daimon Hellstrom is the Son of Satan.  His mother was a mortal woman who was driven mad when she learned the true identity of her husband was in fact Lucifer himself.  Hellstorm’s demonic heritage grants him superior strength and magical powers.  He wields a mystical trident that was forged in hell and is able to engulf his enemies in hellfire, a magical energy that burns a person’s very soul.  Hellstorm is able to travel between dimensions, and he gets around on a fiery chariot which is pulled by three giant flaming stallions. 

Jackie Estacado was a hitman for the mob, a trained assassin with expert knowledge in the use of guns, knives, and the martial arts.  Now as the possessor of the Darkness, Estacado is the master of shadow and the gloomy places sane men dare not go.  He is able to summon a legion of diminutive demons from the dark.  These little monsters swarm over his enemies and tear them to pieces with their demonic claws and teeth.  The Darkness grants Estacado supernatural strength, speed and endurance.  He can move from one shadow to any other shadow in the world, and he can also sprout bat-wings and fly. 

WINNER:  The Darkness - This is a really close call.  Physically they are pretty even.  Hellstorm possesses the supernatural ability to exorcise demons, but would this ability have any effect on the Darkness?  In the end, though Hellstorm may have ruled over a portion of hell, the Darkness is a universal force for chaos whose scope of influence knows no bounds.

Buffy Summers vs. Witchblade – Buffy is the Chosen One, the one girl in all the world with the power and skills to defend mankind against the vampires and the forces of darkness.  She possesses supernatural strength, speed, and agility and super human fighting skills.  Buffy has a team of sidekicks called the Scooby Gang comprised of Willow, the world’s most powerful witch and computer expert, Xander, the master of mirth and the backbone of the team, and Giles, Buffy’s Watcher whose knowledge in arcane lore is second to none and a seasoned practitioner of the mystic arts.

Sarah Pezzini is a tough New York City Police Detective who possesses the ancient mystical artifact known as the Witchblade.  The Witchblade is the sentient offspring of the primal forces of chaos and order in the universe – the Angelus and the Darkness.  It has been passed down for centuries from one woman to the next and is a stalwart defender of the balance between light and dark.  While wearing the Witchblade, Sarah Pezzini can create nearly impenetrable body armor and magical weapons such as swords, maces and shields.  The Witchblade can project mystical energy and deadly shrapnel to take out enemies from a distance.

WINNER: Buffy - The problem with putting the slayer on a list like this is that Buffy has faced off against every single big bad monster, demon, and hell god ever to spawn from the pits of hell, spell book, or get up off a laboratory table.  Bottom line, there’s really not anything in the worlds of the supernatural that Buffy can’t handle.  (Except for bunnies...)       

Blade vs. Alice – Blade is the Daywalker.  Like Vampire Hunter D, Blade is a Dhampir, a half human/half vampire.  He possesses all the supernatural powers and strengths of the undead, but none of their weaknesses.  Armed with an arsenal of deadly weapons designed solely for the extermination of vampires, Blade seeks to rid the world of their kind and wipe them all out without mercy.  Blade possesses supernatural strength, speed and the ability to heal virtually any wound.  His combat prowess is so proficient that Blade can stand his ground against half a dozen or more vampires at the same time.  He can mow down dozens of undead at a time with his rapid-firing machine pistol that fires specially made silver bullets.  But his favorite weapon of choice is his custom forged sword with a booby-trapped hilt and an acid-tipped blade.  

In a world overrun by the walking dead, Alice is mankind’s last hope for survival.  Injected with the T-Virus, Alice’s exposure to the virus had an unusual effect.  Instead of mutated her into a flesh-eating monster, it imbued her with super human physical and mental abilities.  Now after escaping the Apocalyptic chaos of Raccoon City, Alice and her small band of survivors scour the earth in search of the source for all the evil, the main headquarters of the Umbrella Corporation.  Her superior strength and agility allow Alice to take on monstrous foes.  She can single-handedly dismember and exterminate dozens of zombies at a time and even go toe-to-toe with the monstrous Tyrant and the hulking Nemesis.   

WINNER: Tie - I know it’s a copout, but not only are these two monster-bashers extremely evenly matched, once they realize they’re basically fighting for the same thing, humanity’s survival in the face of the undead Apocalypse, they’ll team-up.  And when that happens, there aren’t enough vampires and zombies in the world that can stop this supernatural dynamic duo. 

Dracula vs. Hellboy – Count Dracula is the King of Vampires!  In life, he was a vicious warlord that impaled his conquered enemies on pikes and dipped his bread in their blood as he ate lunch.  In death, Vlad the Impaler became the Prince of Darkness and the most notorious creature of the night ever to stalk the earth.  This master vampire possesses the strength of twenty men; he can transform into a wolf or giant bat, and into bone-chilling mist.  He can overpower lesser minds with his charismatic vampire stare.  And he has centuries of knowledge and know-how at his disposal, making him a most cunning adversary. 

Hellboy is the child of the Apocalypse.  His Right Hand of Doom holds the key to ushering in the End of Days.  However, he’d rather just have a beer, watch the tube and play with his kitties.  Hellboy does use his demonic strength to investigate the paranormal.  He is nearly indestructible and completely invulnerable to fire.  His sidearm is a hand-cannon that can punch a hole through a T-Rex.  And his Right Hand of Doom hits with the force of a Mack truck.    

WINNER: Hellboy - Though Dracula is smarter than Hellboy and physically they are relatively evenly matched, it’s the vampire’s aversion to fire that will ultimately be his undoing.  As these two supernatural juggernauts battle, sooner or later, a fiery blaze will break out in their wake and with it the key to Dracula’s defeat.  

Doctor Strange vs. Dr. Fate – Doctor Stephen Strange was an arrogant surgeon whose hands were mangled in a automobile accident.  He was taken in and trained in martial arts and the mystic arts by the Ancient One, a centuries old wizard.  So adept at sorcery is Strange that he eventually took on the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme.  His magical powers are vast.  Feats such as telepathy, teleportation, and astral projection are child’s play to him.  Doctor Strange can call upon the Vishanti, cosmic entities of mystical authority, to augment his already great magical powers.  He also possesses powerful magical artifacts like the all-seeing Eye of Agamotto and his cloak of levitation.  So strong is Doctor Strange in the ways of magic that he can do battle with some of the most powerful mystical foes in the universe including Dracula, the In-Betweener, Nightmare, Mephisto and the Dread Dormammu.        

Kent Nelson was the orphaned son of an archaeologist that was raised by an ancient wizard named Nabu and trained in the mystic arts.  Armed with the mystical Helmet of Nabu, the Amulet of Anubis and the Cloak of Destiny, Nelson became the earthly avatar of the Lords of Light - Dr. Fate.  Fate possesses super human strength and the ability to manipulate mystical energy.  He can fly, turn invisible, pass through solid matter, create light and darkness, project his thoughts to others, and project magic missiles, lightning bolts and fireballs from his hands.  Alongside the Spectre and the Phantom Stranger, Dr. Fate is the premiere mystical force for good in the DCU.   

WINNER: Doctor Strange - Don’t get me wrong, I think Fate is infinitely cooler than Strange, but when it comes to the world of magic Doctor Strange is the Master of the Mystic Arts.  He IS the Sorcerer Supreme!

Next week the Odinson continues his count down to Halloween with a look at monsters in comics.   

This is Odinson bidding thee farewell     

Greetings from the Odinson,

As Avengers vs. X-Men comes to its cataclysmic finale, what will be the repercussions of this unprecedented event?  The Phoenix Force came to Earth, the very same cosmic entity that possessed Jean Grey and nearly destroyed the world in The Dark Phoenix Saga and nearly helped Darkseid destroy two worlds in Marvel and DC Present: The Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans.  The Avengers saw the Phoenix Force as a threat while the X-Men saw it as salvation.  These opposing views set Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and the Children of the Atom against each other in a war of heroes for the ages.  Lines were drawn and sides were chosen and after witnessing the events of AvX #1-11, it’s pretty darn clear whose side was right, but is it the side that’s victorious?  But I’m not here to talk about who wins in the end, as one of my colleagues here in the Lone Star Comics office likes to point out “when heroes fight heroes, nobody wins.”  No, I’m here to talk about the repercussions of this event.      

The Marvel Now announcement already holds the answer to one of the major repercussions that will come as a result of AvX – a merging of philosophies.  Marvel’s two biggest franchises, the Avengers and the X-Men will merge into one super mega group known as the Uncanny Avengers.  The Odinson believes that this is a positive result that will come out of AvX.  This will give fantastic characters like Havok, Rogue, and Cannonball a chance in the Big Leagues to become the stars longtime readers always knew they could be.  Marvel Now is just the natural progression of the Marvel Universe as previous glimpses into Marvel’s future have shown us (see Avengers #267 and The Last Avengers Story).  For more on my thoughts about Marvel Now see The Odinson Takes a Look at the Next Stage of Marvel Evolution.    

One of the major repercussions of AvX is the falling out between Storm and the Black Panther.  Africa’s two premiere super heroes were a match made in heaven. They complimented each other perfectly. T’Challa is the king of a nation with powers and abilities beyond those of ordinary men, and Ororo is a strong, powerful and beautiful woman that keeps him grounded.  During Civil War, another major event that nearly tore the Marvel Universe super hero community asunder, it was the Wedding of Storm and the Black Panther that was a beacon of hope amid all the chaos and fighting.  However, in the pages of AvX, Storm, a longtime member of the X-Men, and Black Panther, a longtime member of the Avengers, were forced to choose a side and in doing so not only did we witness Storm vs. the Black Panther on the battlefield but apparently the tragic end to their marriage.  I for one still hold out hope that they will reconcile, but before that can happen the Black Panther has another pressing matter to attend to – Namor.

Wakanda is a highly advanced nation in Africa and in over 10,000 years it has never been conquered.  In Wakanda there is a mountain, and within this great mountain resides a seemingly endless supply of the mineral known as vibranium.  Vibranium is a super metal that can absorb sound and kinetic energy.  It is used to forge the most powerful weapons on Earth.  Captain America’s nigh invincible shield is made of vibranium, as is the entire arsenal in the Wakandan army.  Plus, Wakanda is protected by the Black Panther, the ultimate human possessing skills, strength, speed and intelligence far superior to normal men.  And on top of that, the Black Panther has allies – the Avengers, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.  But none of that mattered in Avengers vs. X-Men #8 when the Savage Sub-Mariner, empowered by the Phoenix Force, came to Wakanda and burned the nation to the ground.      

Once AvX comes to a close, there is no way Prince Namor is getting away with declaring war on Wakanda.  T’Challa will have a bone to pick with the “good” prince and I don’t think Namor is going to like what the King of Wakanda has to say.  Could this mean that there will be yet another war in Marvel’s future?  If the last ten years of Marvel storytelling has taught us anything it’s that every event naturally progresses into the next.  From Avengers Disassembled to House of M to Civil War to Planet Hulk to World War Hulk to Secret Invasion to Dark Reign to Siege to The Heroic Age to Fear Itself to Avengers vs. X-Men, it has all followed a natural trajectory.  This brings us to the next chapter, could it be The Wakanda/Atlantis War, a major companywide event pitting two major super powers against each other and drawing Earth’s Mightiest Heroes with ties to both sides right into the middle of it?  The Wakanda/Atlantis War could be the modern day version of the classic Kree/Skrull War.        

A couple of other characters that have a lot to answer for are Magik and Colossus.  In AvX #9, these two once promising heroes were actually taking joy and feeding portions of the souls of their prisoners, heroes mind you, to demons of Limbo.  Now I’ve been reading comics a long time and those sound like the actions of super villains, not heroes.  Colossus used to be an unassuming strongman who, though not possessing an abundance of confidence, did possess an abundance of courage and heart.  But ever since Fatal Attraction, where he began to question his path in the world, the character has been on a steady downward spiral.  He seemed to have broken out of this funk with his ultimate sacrifice in Uncanny X-Men #390, when he gave up his life for the greater good of mutantkind.  But that proved short-lived.  Ever since his return in Astonishing X-Men, one bad decision after another has brought him to this point.  With his spirit broken and his conviction at its lowest and with the dark influence of two cosmic forces, Cyttorak and the Phoenix Force, tearing his soul apart, where does Colossus go from here?

Magik, his sister, is a girl whose whole life has been manipulated by others.  When she was but a child, the demon Belasco brought her to Limbo and warped her into the Darkchylde.  She eventually defeated her demonic mentor and became ruler of the stygian dimension of Limbo, but her darker side always played just beneath the surface.  Could her experience with the Phoenix Force have finally pushed this heroine over the edge?  If her actions in Avengers vs. X-Men #11 are any indication the answer is yes.  The next few months will be very important in these two characters’ development for the future, for at this moment, they both could either go down the path of redemption or darkness.

This brings me to Cyclops.  Has there ever been a bigger rise and fall from grace than the one this hero has taken?  One would be hard pressed to find another hero in the history of comics that has been kicked in the jewels more times than Scott Summers.  Life has dealt him a bad hand over and over again and for the longest time his life was defined by the old adage whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.  But every man has his breaking point.

When Scott was just a boy, he and his brother, Alex, parachuted to safety as his parents seemingly died in a plane crash.  Later he would find out they were actually kidnapped by aliens and his father became the space pirate known as Corsair.  When the boys landed roughly, Scott received a head wound.  It is this wound that causes Scott not to be able to control his mutant power and forces him to wear that ruby quartz visor.  Scott spent his early years in an orphanage where later he discovered his life was being manipulated by the arch villain Mister Sinister. 

When Scott became a teenager he enrolled at Xavier’s School for the Gifted and became a member of the X-Men: First Class.  In the beginning he was a skinny, shy kid, but as the years passed Scott, now known as Cyclops, became a stalwart leader of men.  His confidence grew, as did his physique, and he was able to make noted troublemakers like Wolverine, if only for a moment or two, toe the line.  But then tragedy struck once again as the events of the Dark Phoenix Saga saw Cyclops lose the love of his life. 

For a while Cyclops was a bit aimless, until he met Madelyne Pryor, a red haired woman with a striking resemblance to his deceased love Jean Grey.  They were soon married and had a baby together.  In Uncanny X-Men #201, Cyclops attempted to make a come back and even challenged Storm, who at the time was powerless, for leadership of the team.  Storm won, and after the birth of his son, Scott decided to take an extended leave of absence from the X-Men.  But then Jean Grey returned.

Now this is the moment where the first chink in Scott’s good guy armor manifests itself.  The moment he hears about Jean’s seeming return from the grave, Cyclops all but abandons his wife and baby and reforms the original team of X-Men into the fighting force known as X-Factor.  This not only revealed a bit of selfishness on Scott’s part but more importantly it left Madelyne and her baby vulnerable to an attack by Mister Sinister and his malevolent Marauders.  The repercussions of his actions would lead Madelyne down a dark path where she would discover that she is but a clone of Jean Grey, goes mad and becomes the Goblin Queen, and ultimately dies trying to murder her estranged husband and child in a battle with the X-Men (see Inferno). 

A few months later, Cyclops would have to give up his baby boy, who had been infected with a techno-organic virus, and send him to the future to save his life.  Scott would not see his son again until he was a full grown man named Cable.  He did, however, get to glimpse into a small window of Cable’s life as a young man during The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix, but it was a very small window. 

Cyclops did what a lot men do when they’ve been hit by a truck load of tragedy, he dove head deep into his work.  Starting with Mutant Genesis and throughout the decade of the nineties, Cyclops forged the X-Men into an elite fighting force and they became one of the most prominent super hero teams in all of comics, even surpassing the Avengers and Justice League in popularity.  The decade culminated with the X-Men at the height of their powers and Cyclops making the ultimate heroic sacrifice to bring the threat of Apocalypse to an end once and for all (see The Twelve).   

Cyclops returned from death only to watch as the love of his life was once again brutally taken from him (see Eve of Destruction and Planet X).  And then, M-Day happened.  With just a few words of magic the mutant race was brought to the edge of extinction.  It was at this moment that something inside Cyclops broke.  He became a desperate man, albeit with good reason.  His people were on the verge of going the way of the Dodo.  In all the world, where once there were millions of mutants, now there were only 198. 

Then a ray of hope, as the first mutant since M-Day was born (See Messiah Complex).  Her name was Hope and Cyclops believes she is the savior of the mutant race.  Now Cyclops had a new mission and it was no longer Xavier’s dream.  He moved the X-Men from the east coast to the west and refurbished Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay into Utopia.  Cyclops is one of the most determined men in the world and he will do whatever it takes to save mutantkind, whatever it takes.  At this point, Cyclops has taken on an isolationist point of view and the X-Men have become his cult followers.  And woe to anyone that would try to invade their mutant Utopia, just ask the Dark Avengers, Nimrod (Bastian), and the Vampire Nation.

As the victories began to stack up, so too seemingly did the arrogance of Cyclops.  So confident was he in his newly assembled Extinction Team, a team of elite X-Men consisting of Colossus, Magik, Emma Frost, Storm, the Sub-Mariner, Danger, and Magneto, that in Regenesis Cyclops declared they were Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. 

Which brings us up to the present where Cyclops, now empowered with the Phoenix Force, the very same power that took from him the woman he loved all those years ago, has decided that he will remake the world in his own image and nobody will stand in his way.  Not the Avengers, not his former mentor Professor Xavier, not even his fellow X-Men, nobody will stand in his way.  It is a strange day indeed when a lifelong hero like Cyclops and a known mutant extremist like Magneto are in the same room together and Magneto is the voice of reason. 

Avengers vs. X-Men definitely rocked the Marvel Universe.  Loyalties shifted and new enemies were made.  The aftermath of this mega event will see the forging of new alliances in Uncanny Avengers.  But what will become of Storm and Black Panther’s marriage?  What will be T’Challa’s requital to Namor’s attack on Wakanda?  Where do Magik and Colossus go from here?  The fall from grace of Cyclops, though not quick, was definitely sad and hard to watch, and will definitely lead to CONSEQUENCES.       

This is Odinson bidding thee farewell 

Greetings from the Odinson,

A few weeks back, the Odinson pitted the Villains of the Marvel Universe against the Villains of the DC Universe in a no holds barred battle royal for the ages (see Rogue War).  That was fun.  So much so that other villains from across the multiverse have decided they want in on the action and a shot at the title belt.  So without further ado, the Odinson Presents:

The Villain War   

The Red Ribbon Army vs. Cobra – The Red Ribbon Army is a paramilitary group bent on world domination.  Cobra is a criminal-terrorist organization bent on ruling the world.  The Red Ribbon army has plenty of firepower, tanks, planes, and bombs, and they have many soldiers under the command of special operatives and officers like Commander Red, a diminutive leader with delusions of grandeur; Adjutant Black, a loyal soldier to the cause; General Blue, a clean freak with psychic powers; Doctor Gero, a mad scientist and expert in robotics; Captain Yellow, a tiger-man and expert pilot; and Colonel Violet, a strong military woman in a man’s army.  From the Firebat to the Rattler to the HISS tank, Cobra has some of the deadliest combat vehicles in the world and an army of fanatical soldiers to support them.  Their inner circle is comprised of some of the most sinister villains around – Cobra Commander, an ambitious man with big ideas and, unfortunately, little courage; Destro, an arms dealer that wears an iron mask; Zartan, a master of disguise, infiltration and assassination; Storm Shadow, a super ninja; Doctor Mindbender, a mad scientist and brilliant biochemist; and the Baroness, a cunning beautiful woman trained in counter spy tactics and the art of seduction. 

WINNER: Cobra.  It takes the world’s greatest special forces unit, GI Joe, to keep Cobra in check.  The Red Ribbon Army is routinely defeated by a single boy, Goku, the strongest boy in the world, but still a single boy.   

Predator vs. Terminator – The alien Predator is the galaxy’s greatest hunter.  The cyborg Terminator is Sci-Fi’s greatest killing machine.  The Predator scours the universe looking for the most dangerous game to pit its strength and skills against.  The Terminator was created by Skynet, a super computer, for one purpose and one purpose only – the total annihilation of mankind.  The Predator is a seven-foot tall alien with sweet dreads and armed with an array of weapons including retractable steel claws, throwing buzz saw, a cloaking device and a shoulder cannon that can cut a man in half.  The Terminator’s body is comprised of a hyperalloy combat chassis with a microprocessor, and is fully armored.  It’s very tough to hurt and even tougher to bring down.  The Terminator has complete files on anatomy and an adaptable AI that makes it more efficient at its job.  Anything can be a weapon in the mighty metallic hands of a Terminator. 

WINNER: Terminator.  The Terminator’s sensors and scans can see through the Predator’s cloak and its armor is tough enough to take a few blast from the alien’s shoulder cannon.  Pretty good battle, Terminator wins. 

CLU vs. Agent Smith – CLU is the ruler of the Grid, a virtual computer world where survival is the order of the day, and a villain with aspiration to rule the world of man.  Agent Smith is a sentry program in the Matrix, a virtual computer world designed to enslave mankind, and a villain with aspirations to destroy all humans and anything else that gets in his way.  CLU is a great warrior who was able to defeat Tron, the virtual world’s greatest protector, in combat and he has the ability to create computer generated weapons of war like light cycles and light jets with his mind.  Agent Smith has super strength and speed and can shatter a cinder block with a single blow.  He also has the uncanny ability to assimilate any other sentient program, usurping control and replicating himself to create a virtual army of Agent Smiths. 

WINNER: CLU.  This was probably the hardest contest on this list for me to decide.  But CLU defeated Tron, his world’s Neo class hero, and Agent Smith always ultimately loses to the power of the One.    

Venger vs. Mumm-Ra – Venger the Force of Evil is a demon sorcerer that seeks to rule the realms of Dungeons and Dragons and gain ultimate power.  Mumm-Ra the Ever-Living is an ogre-mage and the most powerful source of evil on Third-Earth.  Venger has powerful minions like the Shadow Demon, Kelek the wolf-riding wizard, and an army of orcs and goblins at his disposal.  Mumm-Ra has the Mutants of Plun-Darr under his thumb and can call upon the Ancient Spirits of Evil for power and wisdom.   

WINNER: Mumm-Ra.  Venger is too easily distracted by his pursuit of the magical weapons of children and his feud with Tiamat the dragon to ever really get anything done.  Not to mention, Venger was once a good soul that fell down a dark path.  Mumm-Ra is the ultimate servant of evil and would never waver when victory was within his clawed grasp. 

The Decepticons vs. the Inhumanoids – The Decepticons are giant transforming robots from the far off world of Cybertron that have come to planet Earth to steal its natural resources to help further their war effort against their hated enemies, the Autobots.  The Inhumanoids are monstrous creatures that rise from the depths of the earth to plague mankind with suffering.  Led by the mighty Megatron, the Decepticons can transform into powerful weapons of mass destruction like tanks and jet fighters.  The Inhumanoids are led by the mighty Meltar, an unstoppable juggernaut of death and destruction.  His minions include the ghoulish D’Compose, a skeletal giant with the power to turn his victims into zombies, and Tendril, a Lovecraftian terror that crushes its prey with its many tendrils.    

WINNER: The Decepticons.  Another close battle, but the militaristic Decepticons are more organized and their firepower coupled with their team work would eventually overwhelm and chase the nigh indestructible Inhumanoids back to the bowels of the earth from whence they came.

Aliens vs. V.E.N.O.M. – The Xenomorphs are the galaxy’s most adaptable species and one of the greatest survivors in the history of Sci-Fi.  They are a hive species with claws that can rend flesh, a scorpion-like tail that can spear prey, a retractable mandible that can strike from a distance, and they have acid for blood.  V.E.N.O.M. (Vicious Evil Network of Mayhem) is the special weapons offshoot of Cobra, and like Cobra, V.E.N.O.M. is a group of terrorists bent on world domination.  Its special operatives pilot spectacular transforming vehicles.  For example, V.E.N.O.M.’s leader, Mile Mayhem, pilots the Switchblade, a stealth helicopter that can convert into a fighter plane for more firepower. 

WINNER: Aliens.  If Colonial Space Marines can’t defeat the Xenomorphs, then nobody can. 

Viltrumites vs. The Walking Dead – The Viltrumites are a race of super men and women with powers and abilities far beyond those of ordinary men and women.  They are basically evil Kryptonians, think the three super villains from Superman 2 and you’ll get the picture, warmongers with the physical strength to move mountains and the ability to survive almost any injury.  The Walking Dead are just that, reanimated corpses stalking the earth for human prey.  Though immensely powerful, the Viltrumites are on the verge of extinction and their numbers are quite small, whereas the Walking Dead’s numbers are seemingly endless, and everyone alive has the potential to join their living dead legions. 

WINNER: Nobody.  Everybody loses, for if even one Viltrumite somehow gets infected the multiverse would be engulfed in an Apocalyptic end of times scenario not seen on this scale since the Marvel Zombies. 

Other villains waiting in the wings, ready to add to the chaos and destruction wrought by those on this list are The Ax Gang, SPECTRE, Skeletor and the Evil Masters of the Universe, the Daemonites, the Zerg, the Borg, Darth Vader, Dracula, and the shark from Jaws.

Oh, the horror.  The horror!  This has truly been a villainous showdown for the ages.

This is Odinson bidding thee farewell     

Greetings from the Odinson,

The last few weeks the Odinson has pitted the Rogues of the DC Universe against the Rogues of the Marvel Universe.  I did not realize the can of worms I would be opening.  I heard from friends, family, co-workers, and even you, the sweet, clean Lone Star Comics customers, about how wrong I was in so many of my decisions.  It turns out that fanboys are just as passionate about their villains as they are about their heroes.  I guess I should have made my point clear from the beginning.  This was not a popularity contest.  I did not make my decisions based on what villains I liked better.  If that were the case, Captain America’s Rogues would have defeated Flash’s, but they didn’t.  It was which group of thugs I thought would win a no holds barred throw down. 

Do I think the Joker is one of the greatest villains in the history of comics?  Absolutely.  Do I think he can defeat guys like Doctor Octopus, the Lizard or Carnage in battle?  No.  That’s not taking anything away from the Clown Prince of Crime or, as one critic put it, underestimating him.  That’s just how I see it going down.  Also, a lot of you are being very dismissive of the New Teen Titan’s foes.  If anybody is being underestimated, it’s this group which includes an immortal cleric that bathes in the blood of his enemies, a nigh-omnipotent demon god, and an evil super soldier that has handed Batman his own teeth.        

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that a few of the tussles were pretty one-sided.  Thor’s Rogues were just way too much for Wonder Woman’s.  And it probably wasn’t fair to pit the Hulk’s foes, a group comprised mainly of muscle-heads and strong guy henchmen, against the likes of Lex Luthor and Brainiac.  So, I’m here to rectify it all.  Going down right now is the super villain battle to end all super villain battles.  A Royal Rumble of Evil, if you will.  The Odinson Presents:

Rogue War: Bonus Round: Rogues of the Marvel Universe vs. Rogues of the DC Universe

Admittedly, I had a little help on this one.  I was sent a video on YouTtube titled: Marvel vs. DC: Villains, which I encourage everyone to check out.  It is on the same lines as what I was going for in these columns.  I really liked the intriguing match ups this person came up with so those are the match-ups I’m going to use to decide once and for all whose Rogues Gallery is the most sinister – Marvel’s or DC’s.  However, I did have to move a few of the contestants around because as tough as I think Bane is, he’s just not in the Juggernaut’s league.  Now, without further ado… 

Let Mortal Kombat begin!

Thanos vs. Darkseid – Winner: Thanos.  Now it’s a party.  Right out of the gate Marvel and DC’s two biggest baddest villains go at it.  Truly this is an epic battle, and a very evenly matched one.  It probably comes down to whether or not Thanos can survive an assault by Darkseid’s Omega Beams, and I believe that he can.  In the end, Thanos edges out the dark lord of Apokalips.  Darkseid may have destroyed New Genesis, but Thanos killed half the Marvel Universe with a snap of his finger.

Apocalypse vs. Brainiac – Winner: Brainiac.  Another intriguing match up right off the bat, but Brainiac can bring solar powered Kryptonians to their knees and it takes a Herculean effort from the world’s greatest super hero to defeat him every time he shows up.  Apocalypse really hasn’t made any leeway in the world-conquering front and he’s been at it for what, 5,000 years?   

Kingpin vs. Lex Luthor – Winner: Lex Luthor.  Wilson Fisk is a criminal mastermind that has carved out an empire in the underbelly of New York City.  He is a physically imposing man whose strength (perhaps the greatest that can be achieved without the help of a super soldier formula) and fighting ability can give pause to the super ninja Daredevil and the augmented strength of Spider-Man.  But Lex Luthor is the smartest man alive.  He has bigger fish to fry, namely a big blue boy scout, and Fisk is just in his way.  

Black Cat vs. Catwoman – Winner: Catwoman.  For all intents and purposes, these two femme fatales bring the same skill sets to the battlefield, except Felicia has the power to bring bad luck to others.  However, the deck has been stacked against Selina her whole life.  A little bad luck won’t deter her. 

Baron Zemo vs. Prometheus – Winner: Prometheus.  Baron Zemo is crafty and physically proficient, but Prometheus once single-handedly brought the JLA to its knees, not to mention the ability to download anybody’s fighting skill into his brain.  Perhaps Taskmaster would have been a better opponent.

Norman Osborn vs. The Joker – Winner: The Joker.  What happens when bat-S crazy meets bat-S crazy?  Utter chaos.  Norman may have goblin strength, a million deadly gadgets, a genius level intellect, a billion dollar corporation and a small army of super villains at his disposal, but the Joker has Smiley Gas.  And if you’re gonna go, go with a smile. 

Enchantress vs. Poison Ivy – Winner: Enchantress.  Well, since seducing each other is out of the question (or is it? Hmm), this battle comes down to physical attributes (I know, I know, the picture almost paints itself, he-he).  Amora is an immortal and Ivy just can’t match her physical strength and magical powers. 

Red Skull vs. Two-Face – Winner: Red Skull.  This would be, without a doubt, the most down and dirty street fight ever seen.  They may even beat each other sane.  Harvey is one tough customer, but the Red Skull is in a cloned body of Steve Rogers and has been scheming and plotting since before Two-Face was born. 

Venom vs. Clayface – Winner: Venom.  Physically, I’m really not sure there is anything either of these guys can do to injure the other.  In the end, Venom is just stronger and the symbiote he wears as a second skin is a devious little critter and would probably edge him into the win column.

Red Hulk vs. Solomon Grundy – Winner: Red Hulk.  Solomon Grundy is huge, strong, and scary, he may have even been born on a Monday, but unless your name is Superman, Thor, or Silver Surfer, then you aren’t beating a Hulk.

Deadpool vs. Deathstroke – Winner: Deathstroke.  I know there are a lot of Merc with a Mouth fans out there, but come on, Wade is just ridiculous and Slade does not suffer fools.  Deadpool maybe able to heal from any wound but by the time he finishes gathering up all the pieces the Terminator has hacked off him, the contest will be over. 

Super Skrull vs. Amazo – Winner: Amazo.  Sorry, the combined powers and abilities of the Justice League trumps the combined powers and abilities of the Fantastic Four.  Superman by himself can defeat Marvel’s First Family (see Fantastic Four #249).  Now if Super Skrull had Reed Richard’s intellect that might be something.

Doctor Doom vs. Ra’s Al Ghul – Winner: Doctor Doom.  This is an epic mini series in the making.  Ra’s Al Ghul is a weapons master with the resources of a criminal empire under his command and pseudo immortality that gives him a century’s worth of experiences and knowledge to draw from, but nobody beats Doom, nobody.  Doctor Doom is arguably the smartest man alive, a creator and innovator of super science and a practitioner of magic whose skills in the arcane fall somewhere just below the Master of the Mystic Arts himself.  Victor Von Doom is the super hero of the super villain community.  He wins, period.

Mandarin vs. Sinestro - Winner: Sinestro.  The Mandarin is powerful, but he has demonstrated in the past cracks in his psyche, whereas Sinestro is seemingly cold and unaffected.  Sinestro’s will power is indomitable. 

Loki vs. Felix Faust – Winner: Loki.  Faust may be an archmage of the highest order and able to fool the World’s Greatest Super Heroes with magic, but Loki has been playing tricks on the gods and titans for eons.  

Mystique vs. Harley Quinn – Winner: Mystique.  Now, this one is almost too close to call.  What wins out, unpredictability and a devil-may-care natural born killer or the ice cold, calculating steady hand of an assassin?  I could go either way on this one, but in the end, I’m going with the shape-shifter.

Ultron vs. Metallo – Winner: Ultron.  Ultron is the deadliest killer robot ever conceived.  He makes the Terminator look like a Care Bear.  Anything that can send shivers up the spine of the mighty Thor is going to win, period.

Mr. Sinister vs. Black Hand – Winner: Mr. Sinister.  Even at his best (Blackest Night), Black Hand was little more than a flunky.  People like the Marauders, Sabretooth, Dark Beast and the Sugar Man call Mr. Sinister master.

Lady Deathstrike vs. Cheetah – Winner: Lady Deathstrike.  Cheetah has great speed and strength and is as feral as they come, but Lady Deathstrike is a cyborg killing machine that on several occasions has fought and nearly killed Wolverine, the baddest dude on the planet. 

Mephisto vs. Neron – Winner: Mephisto.  Nobody out-devils the devil.   

Exodus vs. Black Adam – Winner: Exodus.  Now this showdown is truly delicious.  Black Adam is a super man whose physical power rivals the strongest beings walking the earth.  But the powers of Exodus are seemingly without end, or limit.  This is an extremely close one, but the mental abilities of Exodus edge him past Teth-Adam.

Mole Man vs. Penguin – Winner: Mole Man.  The Penguin is a tricky little sucker but Mole Man actually knows martial arts not to mention he has an army of Moloids and an island full of giant monsters under his command.

Bullseye vs. Deadshot – Winner: Deadshot.  Without a doubt, this is the quickest showdown on the list.  While Bullseye is fumbling for a deck of cards or reaching for a dagger, Deadshot has already put one right between his eyes.

Goblin Queen vs. Circe – Winner: Circe.  The inexperience and fragile psyche of the Jean Grey clone would wilt to the power of a witch that has been causing trouble since the The Odyssey.

Sabretooth vs. Grodd – Winner: Grodd.  Because of his healing factor, Sabretooth would last longer than most, but if Grodd doesn’t tear him limb-from-limb with his gorilla strength then he’ll melt Creed’s brain with the power of his mind. 

Juggernaut vs. Doomsday – Winner: Doomsday.  The Earth will shake when these titans clash.  Cain Marko is the earthly avatar of a crimson god and notoriously unstoppable, but Doomsday is the engine of destruction that killed Superman.  Good brawl, Doomsday wins. 

Bane vs. Crossbones – Winner: Bane.  Crossbones is a deadly assassin and strong fighter, but for all his skill, he is still just the Red Skull’s henchman.  Bane is stronger, faster, and smarter.

Hela vs. Silver Banshee – Winner: Hela.  Silver Banshee may be able to incapacitate Superman with her wail, but no way does she defeat a dark power that can even make the All Father shutter. 

Moonstone vs. Star Sapphire – Winner: Star Sapphire.  Pretty evenly matched, but in the end, Moonstone probably just gets recruited, given a violet ring and becomes an ambassador of love in the DCU.

Kang vs. Chronos – Winner: Kang.  No way does a guy that has single-handedly fought Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to a standstill get defeated by a guy dressed like Chronos.

Radioactive Man vs. Chemo – Winner: Chemo.  Radioactive Man is six feet six inches tall.  Chemo is one hundred feet tall.  Chemo steps on Radioactive Man, fight over. 

Titania vs. Giganta – Winner: Titania.  Though not quite as strong as Wonder Woman, Titania is in that league.  TKO.

Lizard vs. Killer Croc – Winner: Lizard.  The Lizard is smarter, faster, and stronger than Croc.  Croc’s wrestling prowess will allow him to get in some good shots, but in the end, the Lizard will out reptile Croc.

Madame Masque vs. Talia – Winner: Talia.  Pretty similar origins and skill sets, but the daughter of the Demon is just a step above the daughter of Count Nefaria.

Whirlwind vs. Zoom – Winner: Zoom.  Zoom is too fast and too smart, but Whirlwind is just fast enough to get in some really nasty cuts and stabs. 

Hobgoblin vs. Scarecrow – Winner: Hobgoblin.  Sorry, Crane, but there just isn’t anything you can concoct with your fear gas that is scarier than a madman the flies around on a glider, a lunatic with goblin strength, a bag of deadly gadgets and weapons who cackles like a madman while dropping pumpkin bombs on his prey.

Black Mamba vs. Cheshire – Winner: Cheshire.  These two sultry women are probably immune to each others’ poisons and toxins.  Black Mamba can create illusions, but Jade is one of the deadliest fighters alive. 

Mysterio vs. Abra Kadabra – Winner: Mysterio.  In the worlds of fiction there are many practitioners of tricks and illusions, but even among his peers, Mysterio is the Master of Illusions.

Scorpion vs. Copperhead – Winner: Scorpion.  Scorpion’s tail can smash a cement wall into powder.  Besides, he’d just use his super human strength to tie the contortionist into a knot and toss him into the Hudson River.

Blizzard vs. Mr. Freeze – Winner: Mr. Freeze.  Remember that scene from Bastard when Dark Schneider pulled off the impossible and defeated a fire elemental with a fire spell?  Well, Victor Fries’ heart is so cold that he would freeze Blizzard where he stood and shatter him into a thousand little pieces.

Puppet Master vs. Mad Hatter – Winner: Mad Hatter.  Coin flip.  Who gets their mind-controlling in play first?  My money is on the slightly younger, slightly more spry guy.

Absorbing Man vs. Parasite – Winner: ????  This is the most intriguing match up on the list.  By the gods, what would happen if Crusher Creel and the Parasite met?  Whatever the outcome it can’t be good.  This one is a draw.

Total:  Marvel 21 wins/DC 20 wins AND 1 tie

Now that was a close contest.

So there you have it, 42 no holds barred throw downs to decide just who is the most sinister and feared Rogues Gallery in the Comic Book Omniverse.  Disagree with any of the outcomes?  Did your favorite villain not make the list of elite?  Do you have a different take, maybe better match-ups?  Let me know.  

This is Odinson bidding thee farewell     

Greetings from the Odinson,

The tally is all tied up at: Marvel 2 / DC 2

Without further ado, it’s time for the Championship Round…

Rogue War Part 5: The New Teen Titans’ Rogues vs. the X-Men’s Rogues

The Fearsome Five – This group is comprised of quintessential super villains.  They are selfish, arrogant, dangerous and powerful.  Doctor Light is a lunatic with the power to control and project energy.  Gizmo is a diminutive genius and master of tech.  His gadgets are as limitless as they are deadly.  Shimmer possesses the uncanny ability to transmute matter, and her brother, Mammoth, is a hulking strongman that can give even the mythic strength of Wonder Girl and the mechanical strength of Cyborg a run for their money.  But far and away the most dangerous member of the Fearsome Five is Psimon, a villain that can kill with but a thought.  With powers and abilities that counter and in some cases surpass anything the Titans have to offer, this group of villains always poses quite a challenge for our heroes.

The Brotherhood of Evil – This is another group of super villains that really takes the Titans to task.  The Brotherhood is comprised of some of the deadliest super-powered mercenaries in the DCU.  Their leader, The Brain, is a former scientist that after his body was destroyed in an explosion had his super mind placed within the cold confines of a robotic shell.  He shares a romantic relationship with Monsieur Mallah, a super intelligent ape that will do anything to please the Brain.  One of the scariest villains on the roster has to be Plasmus, a walking mass of molten lava that can melt his enemies with but a touch.  The witch Phobia can make a person’s biggest fear come to life.  Warp can teleport himself and others great distances, making him and his cohorts very hard to detain.  And the sinister Houngan uses his voodoo dolls to cause all sorts of problems for his foes.  This group is vicious, merciless, and never to be taken lightly.       

Brother Blood – This sorcerer is the head of the Church of Blood, a powerful organization of zealots secretly bent on world domination.  Highly resistant to pain and injury, Brother Blood is able to withstand all the Titans’ most powerful attacks and even single-handedly engage them in combat.  He once brainwashed Dick Grayson and turned him against his friends.  With his own mystical might and the resources of a growing religion by his side, Brother Blood has proven to be one of the Titans’ most tenacious adversaries.     

Trigon – The original Teen Titans had disbanded, but the mystic Raven learned of Trigon’s plot to take over the Earth dimension.  So, after failing to recruit the Justice League, she reunited the Teen Titans to stop him.  But Trigon is no mere flesh and bone super villain to be pummeled and put in jail for his crimes.  Trigon is a demonic god that is the immortal embodiment of evil.  His powers seemingly know no limits and his rivals are few.  But what makes the Titans’ feud with this monster hit even closer to home than most is the fact that Trigon is Raven’s father.  It’s his demonic heritage that she struggles to keep in check on a daily basis.  It’s probably safe to say that Raven has some severe daddy issues.   

Blackfire – Now this is another villain with ties to our heroes.  Blackfire is the vicious, conniving and malevolent sister of Starfire.  Where Starfire is bright, brave, and selfless, Blackfire is corrupt, devious and selfish.  Blackfire once almost orchestrated the end of the universe by bringing back the goddess X-Hal.  During the Rann/Thanagar War she murdered Hawkwoman.  She’s a despicable woman with little to no redeeming qualities whatsoever.  She’s almost the perfect super villain.  But that title is reserved for the next name on this list.   

Deathstroke the Terminator – If Captain America were a bad guy, his name would be Deathstroke.  Slade Wilson was already a renowned gun for hire and world class assassin before an experiment turned him into something more.  Now able to access 99% of his brain, Slade’s physical speed, strength and endurance have been augmented to super human levels.  He’s an expert in all forms of armed and unarmed combat and he’s a master strategist.  After his son, Ravager, met his end fighting against the Titans, Slade took up his son’s contract with the clandestine secret empire known as the HIVE.  He used the mentally unstable mutant Terra to infiltrate the team of heroes to learn their secrets and destroy them from the inside (see The Judas Contract).  So dangerous is this guy that he has beaten the Batman in a fight, fought the Justice League to a standstill, and gotten the upper hand on the X-Men.  But Slade is a complicated man.  Sometimes he’ll even fight side-by-side with the heroes of the DCU, as he did in Panic in the Sky.  He’s a merc through and through, the consummate professional.  If the price is right and he takes the job, odds are the target is pushing up daisies.  Slade Wilson is Deathstroke the Terminator, the most dangerous man in the DC Universe.      

The Titans’ Rogues Gallery rounds out with:  Cheshire, Thunder and Lightning, the Disruptor, the Gordians, the Branx, and the Titans of Myth.
 
Juggernaut – The unstoppable one makes yet another Rogues Gallery list.  He’s thrown down with the Incredible Hulk, the Mighty Thor and the Amazing Spider-Man, but what makes him a major player in the ranks of the X-Men’s arch foes is that he has ties to the team.  Cain Marko is Charles Xavier’s stepbrother, and Cain has always held a grudge against his mutant brother.  Then one day he was empowered by the Crimson Jewel of Cyttorak and now he has set out to even the score.  His strength rivals the mightiest beings on Earth and his durability is legendary.  Nothing short of a mental assault can ever really bring him down.  Though not truly evil, Cain Marko is a petty and selfish man.  Alongside his erstwhile partner in crime Black Tom Cassidy, the malevolent brother of Banshee, Marko has established himself as one of the most notorious super powered criminals in the Marvel Universe.    

Mister Sinister – Mister Sinister is a master of genetics and has seemingly unraveled the secrets of immortality.  His genius in the field of genetics rivals that of even the High Evolutionary.  He orchestrated the Mutant Massacre by sending his Marauders, a group of deadly mutants and mercenaries that included Wolverine’s arch foe Sabretooth, to murder the Morlocks, homeless mutants that lived in the sewers of New York City.  Sinister was a major player during the Inferno and for years he has manipulated and pulled the strings in the lives of Scott Summers and Jean Grey.  Sinister is a very dangerous adversary because he always seems to be two steps ahead of everyone else.   

The Hellfire Club – Publicly the Hellfire Club is an exclusive club for the rich and famous with branches all over the world.  Its members include Tony Stark, Brian Braddock and Roberto da Costa.  However, unbeknownst to the rest of the world, deep in the shadows a secret cabal known as the Inner Circle plots and schemes for more power and eventual world domination. The most well known members of the Inner Circle are Sebastian Shaw the Black King, Emma Frost the White Queen, Selene the Black Queen, Harry Leland the Black Bishop, and Donald Pierce the White Bishop.  These diabolical arch villains have brought the X-Men to the brink on several occasions.  The Inner Circle is even responsible for awakening the Dark Phoenix and the mass production of the Sentinel robots.  Over the years due to infighting, some members reforming and joining the side of angels, and some members dying, the Hell fire Club has seemingly lost some of its steam.  But the Odinson knows it won’t be long before an organization like this resurfaces once more to challenge our heroes like never before.

Sentinels – As the fear of mutants grew for mankind, a solution was devised by the scientist Bolivar Trask.  He created Master Mold, the Sentinel on which all others are based.  The Sentinels are 50-foot tall robots designed to hunt and either capture or destroy mutants.  They are quite dangerous as they can adapt to battle situations and varying powers.  One of the most dangerous Sentinels is the super Sentinel known as Nimrod.  This machine has come back to the past from the Days of Future Past timeline to destroy the X-Men.  So powerful is this robot that it even defeated the Juggernaut and so dangerous is he that rarely will he ever be defeated by the same method twice.  Nimrod has merged with Master Mold to create the ultimate Sentinel Bastion.  Bastion is an Omega Class threat that will stop at nothing to destroy all mutantkind.       

Apocalypse – This 5,000 year old mutant despot has the knowledge and the power to challenge for control of the world.  Able to manipulate his own molecules, Apocalypse can transform, augment, and change himself into any shape, size or weapon he needs in order to destroy his enemies.  Even arch fiends like Mister Sinister, Dracula and the High Evolutionary fear and respect Apocalypse.  Through the use of super science, Apocalypse has the ability to awaken great power in others, but at the cost of their souls.  This is how he creates his infamous Four Horsemen.  Even heroes are not immune to his manipulations.  Both Angel, Wolverine and the Hulk have fallen under the thrall of En Sabah Nur.  Apocalypse is an immortal and even death cannot stop his coming, only delay it a while longer.      

Magneto – He is the mutant Master of Magnetism and arguably the most powerful mutant on the planet.  When they were younger men, Magneto and Professor X were friends and fought side-by-side for mutant equality, but now they are on opposing sides.  Xavier wants to co-exist and live peacefully with humans, and Magneto wants to rule them.  The X-Men have been standing in his way since their very beginnings.  I’ve talked at length before about Magneto.  So epic is his story and so complicated is this character that there is not enough space in this column to fit it all in.  Magneto has been both bitter enemy and stalwart ally to the X-Men, the latter of which he is currently.  But how long before a disagreement sets him and the X-Men on opposing sides once again?  Magneto believes mutants are the rightful rulers of planet Earth and whether it’s alongside the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants or his Acolytes, he will stop at nothing to see his dream come to pass.

Extinction – The biggest threat that the Children of the Atom face is extinction.  In the aftermath of M-Day, the mutant population in the world went from millions to 198 in an instant.  The X-Men aren’t just fighting to protect the world from evil, they are fighting for the very survival of their race.   

The X-Men’s Rogues Gallery rounds out with: The Brood, Mystique, the Blob, Arcade, Fenris, Omega Red, Onslaught, Deathbird, Sauron, the Savage Land Mutates, Zaladane, Garokk, Unus the Untouchable, Crimson Commando, Super Sabre and Stonewall, the Vanisher, Mesmero, William Stryker, the Shadow King, and the list goes on and on and on and…

WINNER: The X-Men’s Rogues

Though the Titans face off against the ultimate super villain in Deathstroke, an uber arch fiend like Brother Blood, and the immeasurable power of the demon lord Trigon, the Children of the Atom face threats on that level as well, and then some.  Their Rogues Gallery is seemingly endless and the numbers of their enemies grow everyday.  When over half the world fears and mistrusts you and the other half wants you dead, you tend to make a lot of enemies.  Bottom line, the X-Men’s core group of adversaries is every bit as diabolical as the Titans’, and with the layers foes like Magneto, Sinister, and Apocalypse bring to the table coupled with their sheer numbers, the enemies of Marvel’s Merry Mutants stand victorious.    

Rogue War Total: Marvel 3 / DC 2

Both Marvel and DC have classic Rogues Galleries and heroes of any universe would have their courage tested and be pushed to their physical limits when they are confronted by such masters of villainy.

Recommended Super Villain Reading: Bring on the Bad Guys; Super-Villain Team-Up; The Killing Joke; Darkseid vs. Galactus: The Hunger; The Secret Society of Super-Villains; Doom; Lex Luthor: Man of Steel and Magneto: Testament.

This is Odinson bidding thee farewell